1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a monitor system and more particularly pertains to wirelessly determining the status of a trailing vehicle from a leading vehicle and from other locations in a safe, reliable, convenient and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The concept of this device is to monitor the motion of objects. These objects might typically, but not exclusively, be pulled behind a tow vehicle.
The device monitors the object's motion by the use of a single or multi-axis sensor. The signals generated by the sensor are then processed through algorithms, real time or otherwise, to detect specific malfunctions, parameters or deviations from normal operation. These algorithms may be in the form of, but not limited to, analog or digital filters. These algorithms can be customized for specific monitoring applications.
Such a device can be used in a typical towing application, to sense the motion occurring on a the trailed vehicle. This information, whether processed or unprocessed, can then be transmitted by wire or wireless communication to the receiver, typically mounted in the towing vehicle.
Motion deviations greater than those established by the operator, through any means of input to establish a threshold, including, but not limited to, a potentiometer, for example, defined automatically by the device software or a combination of both, as “normal” in the trailed vehicle can be detected. When these conditions are detected, then the user can be notified through any form of audio/visual notification alarms activated in the towing vehicle.
When installing the sensing unit in the trailed vehicle, any mounting angle deviation from level would typically create an error, reduction in signal or both. However, the sensing unit performs and goes through an automatic orientation process/algorithm. The system identifies the orientation and position data that the sensing device is mounted at, and uses a mathematical process and algorithm to adjust for this deviation from level in all axes. In addition, the mathematical process and algorithm re-scales the signal levels to compensate for the change in sensing unit orientation from level or other known orientation. The processing of such data can be processed, stored or a combination of both and can occur in the transmitting or receiving unit. Therefore, the motion detecting system does not have to be mounted to the trailed vehicle in any specific orientation.
The sensitivity threshold of the notification alarm can be fixed, manually adjusted or automatically adjusted to accommodate for variations in road surfaces and/or for variability, caused by changes in weight, suspension components, etc., from one trailed vehicle to another, thus preventing nuisance alarms.
Trailed vehicle failures that could be detected include, but are not limited to: delaminating or flat tire; wobbling tire, due to broken wheel, wheel bearing failure or loose lug nuts; disconnected hitch or wrong size/loose ball, detected by high fore/aft G's; axle failure, spring or shock absorber breakage, trailer frame failure as well as shifting loads in the trailer. The sensing unit can also incorporate a variety of sensors, including, but not limited to temperature, sound, light, pressure and vibration, and transmit the data to the receiving unit to be processed.
In addition to the previous detection capabilities, at specific settings, the system can also monitor for intrusion into the trailed vehicle. Additionally, the receiver can be set to alarm if the trailed vehicle is moved out of the normal signal transmission range, stolen or runaway vehicle.
The system can inform the user through a variety of means, but not limited to, including outputting the device alarm signal to a cell phone, a call could be placed to another phone if an intrusion or theft was in progress. Another feature might be the generation of an audio/visual alarm at the receiver or a phone notification message that is caused by temperatures at the transmitter that are above or below a specific alarm threshold.
In addition, based on the input signals from the sensing device in the trailed vehicle, the side to side angle and front to back angle, or a combination thereof, of the trailed vehicle can be monitored. An alarm point can be established, either fixed or adjustable, for angle deviation from what has been established as normal during the startup/initial calibration process or from a fixed reference in the operational code.
Additionally, angle detection can be performed in both the trailed vehicle and the tow vehicle. With angle detection sensed in both vehicles, either fixed or adjustable alarms can then be configured to detect a change in angle of the trailed vehicle in relation to the towing vehicle and vice versa.
In a similar application with motion detection functioning in both vehicles, a control program can be constructed to null out a motion pattern that occurs in both vehicles and monitor only the additional motion that is occurring in the target vehicle.
Using this method, nuisance vibration alarms that are totally associated with variations in the road surface and not associated to a failure on the target vehicle, could be eliminated.
The use of towing systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, towing systems of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of monitoring towed vehicles through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,365 issued Sep. 28, 1999 to Mantini relates to a Early Warning Device for Tire Rims and Hub Assemblies and U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,607 issued Jul. 5, 1977 to Cameron relates to Means for Attenuating the Jarring and Vibration of a Truck-Tractor.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a towing monitor system that allows for wirelessly determining the status of a trailing vehicle from a leading vehicle and from other locations in a safe, reliable, convenient and economical manner.
In this respect, the towing monitor system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of wirelessly determining the status of a trailing vehicle from a leading vehicle and from other locations in a safe, reliable, convenient and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved towing monitor system which can be used for wirelessly determining the status of a trailing vehicle from a leading vehicle and from other locations in a safe, reliable, convenient and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.